Prospective employers can ask a lot of questions during the hiring process. But should asking for the password to your Facebook account be one of them?

"You are not allowed to ask someone their age. You can't ask their race," said Rep. Katherine Rogers, D-Concord. "There are a number of things you aren't allowed to ask. With Facebook and other social media, it's a way for an employer to circumvent the system, if you will."

Rogers is cosponsoring a bill to make a person's social media account off limits to employers. It's a proposal that has the support of unions, who said being forced to give up passwords amounts to an invasion of privacy.

Several states have passed similar laws, and many others are considering such legislation. But some employers, such as the New Hampshire State Police, said Facebook and other social media sites provide effective tools in vetting applicants.

"In order to make sure we hire the most trustworthy, qualified, ethical candidates, we have to make sure we exhaust all opportunities to find out who these candidates are and what their backgrounds are," said Lt. John Marasco.

"There have been background checks before there were computers," Rogers said. "There are checks in many ways that can be done, but we want to prevent people from giving up their privacy."